News

By Ada Carr

June 05 2016 12:00 AM EDT

weather.com

While performing a training exercise, nine Fort Hood soldiers were tragically killed when their 2 ½-ton army truck was washed away by floodwaters in Texas.

The vehicle overturned at the Owl Creek Tactical low-water crossing near Lake Belton Thursday, according to a Fort Hood press release. A spokesperson said the truck was going over a crossing flooded by two days of intermittent heavy rains when it was swept away.

Three other soldiers were rescued and were hospitalized in stable condition. The U.S. Army made a statement saying that the soldiers were in the right place for the training in the dangerous conditions, but the incident serves as a lesson for future training conditions.

Staff Sgt. Miguel Angel Colonvasquez, 38, of Brooklyn, New York, entered active-duty military service in July 2003 as a motor transport operator. He was assigned to 16th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, since May 2011.

Colonvasquez was deployed to Iraq from September 2005-2006 and again from May 2011 to November 2011. He was also deployed to Afghanistan from March 2008 to May 2009 and from July 2013 to March 2014.

His awards and decorations include five Army Commendation Medals, five Army Achievement Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, two Korea Defense Service Medals, Army Service Ribbon, three Overseas Service Ribbons, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Medal, Driver and Mechanic Badge with wheeled vehicle and Marksmanship Qualification Badge-Marksman with Carbine.

State Highway 6 in Eastland County, Texas, was washed out by floodwaters on June 2, 2016, effectively shutting down the roadway. Engineers with the Texas Department of Transportation were dispatched to the area the following day to assess the damage.

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